How can you ensure transparency in a partnership?

Transparency is a key ingredient for successful partnerships in philanthropy. It builds trust, accountability, and mutual understanding among partners who share a common vision and goal. However, transparency is not always easy to achieve, especially when partners have different backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and expectations. How can you ensure transparency in a partnership and avoid potential conflicts and challenges? Here are some tips to help you.

1 Communicate clearly and frequently

Communication is the foundation of any partnership and helps to align objectives, strategies, roles, and responsibilities. It is also important to share information, feedback, and updates on progress and challenges. To ensure transparency in communication, use simple and consistent language that your partners can understand and relate to. Establish regular and timely communication channels that suit your partners' preferences and needs. Additionally, share relevant and accurate data, reports, and stories that demonstrate your impact and learning. Encourage dialogue and feedback from your partners while listening to their views and concerns.

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Maksym D.

Project Management, Consultancy; Veteran | 30K+ network
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Money as an asset is a constant bridge of misunderstanding because non-profit leaders are much more sophisticated about creating their projects\programs than are about funding their organizations, and philanthropists in any form often struggle to understand the impact of their donations. There are consequences to such financial fuzziness. It's when nonprofits and funding sources are not well-matched, money doesn’t flow to the areas where it will do the greatest good.

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2 Be open and honest

Transparency requires openness and honesty from all partners, which means being willing to share not only successes but also failures, mistakes, and difficulties. Additionally, it necessitates respecting partners' opinions, values, and interests even when they differ from your own. To be open and honest, you should admit when you don't know something or need help from your partners. Acknowledging mistakes or when something goes wrong and explaining how you will fix it is also important. Furthermore, disclosing any potential or actual conflicts of interest or ethical issues that may affect your partnership is essential. Finally, appreciating and celebrating your partners' contributions and achievements is an important part of transparency.

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3 Co-create and co-learn

Transparency involves co-creation and co-learning among partners, which implies sharing information and creating knowledge and value together, as well as reporting results and learning from experiences. To achieve this, you should involve your partners in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of your projects and programs. Furthermore, seek input and feedback from your partners to improve processes, methods, and tools. Identify any gaps or challenges in your partnership and work together to find solutions. Finally, share and apply the lessons learned from your partnership to inform future actions and decisions.

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Maksym D.

Project Management, Consultancy; Veteran | 30K+ network
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It must be created not just for profit but for well-being ... Also, I discern for themselves that non-profit activities have a hidden competition. This competition is not such competition faced by every business on the market; it's different.

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4 Review and renew

Transparency is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process that requires regular review and renewal to remain relevant and sustainable. You should conduct periodic assessments and evaluations of your partnership's performance, impact, and value. Additionally, seek feedback from your partners on how to improve your partnership's quality and outcomes. Recognize any changes or issues that may affect your partnership's goals, strategies, or operations, and revisit and revise the vision, mission, and principles as needed. Transparency is not only a good practice but also a good outcome for your partnership. It can help you achieve greater impact, efficiency, and satisfaction in your philanthropic work while fostering stronger relationships with partners and stakeholders. By following these tips, you can ensure transparency in your partnership and effectively address any conflicts or challenges that may arise.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Maksym D.

Project Management, Consultancy; Veteran | 30K+ network
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Non-profit, as opposed to for-profit, needs to confirm the social effect, which is not always subject to calculus - monetary, material, mathematical, physical, or logical ... Blind figures are not capable of measuring genuine smile (say while watching an art object placed simply in the street), sincere thanks (when improving urban infrastructure for people with limited mobility or has expanded cycling and walking infrastructure), children's laughter (when improve existing or create a new children's and sports grounds, or conducts kid's festival or event), deep and clean breath (when implements an eco-projects, green projects), ability to obtain knowledge and education (when implements projects for inclusive education), etc.

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How can you ensure transparency in a partnership?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Communicate clearly and frequently

2 Be open and honest

3 Co-create and co-learn

4 Review and renew

5 Here’s what else to consider

Philanthropy

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How can you ensure transparency in a partnership?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Communicate clearly and frequently

2 Be open and honest

3 Co-create and co-learn

4 Review and renew

5 Here’s what else to consider

Philanthropy

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